Vacuum-producing system.



HA-.gwfou'rmv VACUUM PROQUCING SYSTEM.

Patented Deo. 10, 1918.

APPUCATION FILED 050.14, 19H.

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and the pipes.

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HOWARD A. YOUNG, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

v AGU'UM-PRODUGING sYsTiiu.

To all lwhom it may comer/n.'

Be it known that I, HOWARD A. Yo'UNo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofvCook and State 5 of Illinois, have'invented certain new and withdrawn from; the radiators together with a variable amountl of water vapor and condensed water which collects in the radiators Since a centrifugal pump is incapable Aof handling both air or as and liquid' with any appreciable degree o satisfaction it is now thecommon practice to utilize reciprocatory pumps for producing the requisite vacuum in the return pipes of steam heatin s stems Vof the character above indicate eciprocatory pumps, however, must necessarily be drivenat a relativelyr low rate of speed, and since'the almost universally used motive power is now electricity the driving connection between the motor -and `the reciprocatory pump involves `a train of bak gearing which is objectionable because of its noisy operation.

It has also been proposed thattwo centrif@` ugal pumps' be used directly connected to the motor so as to eliminate the noisygearing.

One of these pumps being designed to draw the air and gas and produce the vacuum while the other pump is designed 4to' discharge accumulated water back into the -boiler or wherever it is desirable that it be utilized.v Such a system possesses low elii- `,ciency for the reason that it necessitates the y continuousoperation of two pumps, whereas it is highly desirable that but one` be em- My present invention contemplates the utilization of a single 'centrifugal pump which may be directly connected to an electric motor, thus eliminating a gear drive, the system being so designed that this pump .operates continuously upon liquid so that it Specification of Letters Patent. i

Iatented Dec. 10, 191.8.

Appiieetien mea December 14, 1917. sei-iai ne. aomea.

runs under aconstant load atmaximum ethciency, the liuid discharged from the pump being utilize to produce the vacuum in the return pipe of the heating system and the air. and gas drawn from this pipe being permitted to escape to the atmosphere while the liquid withdrawn from the pipe is i n-,

termittently and automatically dischar ed by the same pumpinto the boiler or ot er desired place of use.

In order to facilitate an understanding of my inVentionI have illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings one preferred embodiment thereof, which drawing should be considered in connection'with the following description.

The single figure of the drawin represents in side elevation a portiono a heating system to which one preferred embodiment of my invention is applied.

Referring to the drawing, reference character 5 indicates a reservoir or containerof suitable size and shape, the one shown being substantially of pear shape, which I have' foundto be a practical design, and this reservoir is supported in uprig t position upon a suitable base 6 so that. the major portion of the reservoir projects upwardly above the centrifugal pump 7. This pump may be of any well known o r preferred design suitably mountedupon the base 8, and the intake pipe 9 therefor is connected with the lower portion of the reservoir.5, as shown. The discharge pipe l1 from the pump 7 is connected with the upper portion of the reservoir 5 so that a closed liquid circulating sys- 'tem or circuit is established through the reservoir 5, intake ipe 9, pump 7, and dischar e pipe 11. hen the apparatus is assemb ed the reservoir 5 is supplied with water through the top after the cover 12 has been removed until the water level is at least as'hilgh as the lower water level 13 indicated on t e drawing, with the result that the pump 7 is entirely submerged in liquid, so that itis lalways primed and ready to operate when the motor. is started;

An injector 14 consisting, preferably, of a i nozzle 15 discharging through a restrict-ion,

'is interposed in the; discharge pipe 11, so

that when the pump is ino ration the 'liquid 'discharged thereby w`i create and j maintain a constant partial vacuum in the pipe 16 connected to the suction connection of the injector. It should be obvious that when the pump is in operation a constant los suction will be maintained by the injector action in the pipe 16, the amount of which will be dependent upon the speed of the ump.

The pipe 16 inthe present instance is the return ipe of a vacuum steam heating system and) is shown as connected to one of the radiators 17 in the usual manner, it bein understood of course that steam is supplie to this radiator and the other radiators in the system directly from a boiler in the usual and well known manner. The suction created'by the injector, as the result of the operation of the pump, will withdraw from the heating system throu h the pipe 16, the air, gas, water vapor and iquid, all of which accumulate in varying amounts in the heating system. The amount of water will depend upon the amount of condensation in the system and the amount of steam supplied thereto, and consequentl the amountof liquid withdrawn throug the pipe 16 continually varies. All'of the air, gases and liquids withdrawn through the pipe 16, however, will bedelivered through the v)ipe 11, along with the water discharged rom the pump 7, into the reservoir, where the air and gases will be permitted to escape to the atmosphere through a vent 'pipe 17.

The accumulation of liquid in the reservoir will necessari y raise the liquid level therein and when eredetermined sur lus has been accumula 'this surplus wi be discharged under pressure to the boiler or other desired place of use, as will be now described.

In the reservoir upon a rock shaft 18 I have mounted upon a laterally extendin arm a float 19 which, as the liquid leve rises to substantially the upper level indicated by reference, character 21 on the drawing, will rock the'shaft 18 so as to elevate the arm 22, ri idly mounted thereon, thereby throu h a ink or rod 23 opening a balanced va ve of any preferred construction niountediin the casing 24 .which is interposed in a branch pipe 25 leadiirgx from the discharge end of the pump 7. e connection between the link 23 and the arm 22 is a lost motion connection, as shown, so that when once the valve is opened it will remain in open position until the liquid level in the reservoir 5 has fallen a predetermined` amount, whereupon the valve 24 will be closed, and will remain in closed position until a predetermined maximum liquid level has been reached. Since the pipe 25 is connected to the discharge end of the pump it will be manifest that the liquid discharged through this pipe when the valve 24 is open, will be delivered under considerable pressure and may therefore be delivered directly into a boiler without the employment of a second or auxiliary pressure pump.

l It should be manifest from the foregoing .BEST AVAILABLE cor.

that I have provided a system which w create and maintain a constant vacuum the return pipe 16 and will withdraw fro this pipe, air, gas and liquid, irrespecti of the amounts or relative proportions each, that' the air and gases are perinitte to escapawhile the liquid is conserved an permitted to accumulate in the reservoir until a predetermined amount has been col lected, whereufpon this surplus is automati cally delivere under pressure to any desireddpoint. Furthermore, the pump is require to handle liquid only and therefore operates under a uniform load so that it will run evenly and at maximum eiiiciency at all times. It will be noted that the capacity cf the pipe 25 is restricted relative to that of the ischarge pipe 11 from the pump with the result that regardless of the openinglor closing of the valve 24, the vacuum wi be maintained because of the continuous flow of,water throu h the pipe 1l. While l have shown and escribed my in vention as connected with a steam vacuum heating sstem it should be manifest that it is capa le of use for producin vacuum for cther'purposes, and it shoul also be understood that considerable variation in the size, shape, roportion and arrangement of the various e ements constituting my invention may vbe resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or sacricing any of tsmaterial advantages.

I claim:

1. In a vacuum producing system, the combination of a centrifugal pump, a liquid container extendin above said pump, an Intake pipe connecting the lower portion of lsaid container with said pump, a discharge pipe leading from the pump to the upper portion of said container, an injector interposed in said discharge pipe, a return pipe f-i'oma lieatin system connected with the suction side o said injector, and means for automatically permitting liquid under the pressure of sai pump to flow from the discharge pipe at a point between the pump and the connection between the return pipe and injector, when a predetermined liquid level is reached in said container.

2. The combination of a liquid circulating.

system including a container and a rotary pump having its suction and discharge ends connected with the lower and upper ends respectively of said container, an injector through which the liquid delivered from the pump into the container passes, the suction side of the injector bc".ig connected with the return pipe of a steam heating system or the like, so that li uid and as are drawn from said pipe an delivere to said container, a liquid delivery pipe connected with the discharge pipe from the pump at a lOl point between the pump and injector, a

valve in said delivery pipe, and means controlled by the height of liquid in said container-for actuating said valve.

'3. The combination of a liquid circulating system including a container and a rotary pump having its suction and discharge ends connected with the lower and upper ends respectively of said container, an injector through which the liquid delivered" from' the pum into the-container passes, the suction of t e injector being connected with the return line of ,a steam heating system or" the like, so that liquid and gas may be drawn from said pipe and delivered to said con-.

'f taine, a liquid delivery pipe adapted to be vso a heating charge from the pump at a connected with the heating system, said delivery pipe communicating oint in advance of the injector, an automaticallvalve for said delivery pipe, an said delivery pipe being of a restricted area relative to that of the discharge connection between the pump and container. f v n 4;. The combination of a heating system, a rotary pump, a container for liquid, a conduit leading from the container to the pump whereby the ump is maintained submergedv ischarge conduit leading from -portion of the container, for supplyingwater to the pump an auxiliary conduit interposed between the pump and the upper portion of the container, an injector interpose in the auxiliary conduit, a return pipe from system or the like connected with the auxiliary conduit adjacent said injector, a delivery pipe adapted to be connected with a-boiler or the like leading from the auxiliary conduit at a point between the pump and the injector whereb to return to the boiler or the like liqui under thepressure of said pump.

6. In a vacuum producing system, the coin-V` 'bination of a reservoir having an outlet for the escape of vapor and gases, a pump, a

-the pump to with the dis-- controlled conduit establishing communication between the .pump and the lower portion of the reservoir, a return pipe from a'heating system for discharging gases and water of condensation, an auxiliary conduit leading from the upper portion of the reservoir and connected intermediate its ends with said return pipe whereby to discharge into the upper portion of the reservoir the water of condensation and gases, an injector interposed in the auxiliary conduit at' the point of connection with the return pipe and a delivery pipe adapted for communication with the boiler or the like connecting with the auxiliary conduit at a point between the pump and return pipe.

7. In a vacuum producing system, the combination of a reservoir having an outlet for the escape of vapor and gases, a pump, a conduit establishing communication between the pump and the lower portion of the reservoir, a"return pipe from a heating system for discharging gases and water of condensation, an auxiliary conduit leading fromthe pump to the upper portion of the reservoir andv connected intermediate its endswith said return pipe whereby to discharge into the upper portion of the reservoir water of condensation and gases, an injector interposed i'n the auxiliary conduit at the point .of connection with the return pipe and a `delivery ipe adapted for communication with the iler or the like connecting with the auxiliary conduit at a point between the pump and return pipe, a valve for regulating the discharge through said delivery pipe,

and means for automatically controlling said valve by the supply of liquid in the reservoir.

8. In a pump apparatus for supplying water to a boiler or the like and creating vacuum in the heating system connected therewith, the combination of a reservoir, a heating system having a return pipe, a conduit d, in communication with the return pipe of the heating system and reservoir, a pump for i supplying water from the reservoir and feeding the same through said conduit back to the reservoir whereby to create a vacuum and force the vapors and gases and water of condensation from the return pipe back to the reservoir said reservoir having an opening for Vthe tree escape of vapors and gases from the reservoir, and a fluid delivery pipe in communication with the conduit.

y HOWARD A. YOUNG. 

